ARLINGTON, Texas (Interstat) — In a game defined by a dramatic reversal of momentum, the Texas-Arlington Mavericks overcame a sluggish first half with a dominant second-half performance to defeat the Tarleton State Texans 71-64 in a Western Athletic Conference men’s basketball game Wednesday night at College Park Center.

The Mavericks, who trailed by four points at halftime after scoring only 20, erupted for 51 points in the second half to secure the victory in front of 1,457 fans. The win improved Texas-Arlington’s record to 13-6 overall, while Tarleton State fell to 11-9.

The most important part of the game was the stark contrast between the two halves, a turnaround fueled by Texas-Arlington’s defensive pressure and offensive efficiency. After shooting poorly and committing 10 turnovers in the opening period, the Mavericks flipped the script after the break. They forced the Texans into 11 of their 18 total turnovers in the second half, converting those mistakes into 21 points off turnovers for the game. Simultaneously, Texas-Arlington’s offense found its rhythm, shooting 50% from the floor in the second half and capitalizing at the free-throw line, where they attempted 35 free throws overall, making 24.

Raysean Seamster led the Mavericks’ charge, scoring 23 points, including 15 in the second half. The 6-foot-8 forward from Portland, Oregon, added two blocks and was instrumental in the comeback, providing energy on both ends of the floor. His performance was a bounce-back after scoring just six points in his previous outing.

Casmir Chavis, a guard from Minneapolis, orchestrated the offense with 13 points and seven assists, while Tyran Mason of Plano contributed 10 points off the bench. The Mavericks’ defense was also key, registering 11 steals and six blocks, with Amari Reed swatting four shots.

Tarleton State, which led 24-20 at halftime, was paced by Camron McDowell’s 17 points and Dior Johnson’s 16. Andy Sigiscar added 11 points for the Texans, who shot an efficient 18-of-19 from the free-throw line but struggled from the field, making only 22 of 53 attempts. Point guard DJ Dormu dished out seven assists.

The game’s statistical story was told in efficiency. Texas-Arlington scored its 71 points on just 65 possessions, an offensive rating of 109.9. Tarleton State, despite having more possessions at 72, managed an offensive rating of only 88.9 in scoring its 64 points. The Mavericks also won the turnover battle, committing 13 to the Texans’ 18.

This result avenged a 69-63 home loss to Tarleton State just over three weeks prior on Dec. 29. According to Interstat’s ELO system, Texas-Arlington entered the game with a 73.5% probability to win.

Tarleton State built its first-half lead behind a 10-0 run early and maintained control despite a choppy offensive flow from both teams. The second half, however, belonged entirely to the Mavericks. They opened the period on a 12-4 run to take their first lead since the opening minutes and never relinquished it. A critical sequence saw Seamster score on an alley-oop from Chavis, followed by a Chavis driving layup off a steal, pushing the lead to eight and forcing a Tarleton State timeout with 16:24 remaining.

The Texans stayed within striking distance, closing to within three points on multiple occasions, but could never regain the lead. Every Tarleton State push was answered, often by Seamster or a key defensive play. A three-pointer from Bahsil Laster with 2:34 left gave Texas-Arlington a 57-51 cushion, and the Mavericks sealed the game at the free-throw line in the final minute.

Texas-Arlington will next host Southern Utah on Jan. 29, while Tarleton State returns home to face Abilene Christian on Jan. 24. The two teams are scheduled to meet again in Stephenville, Texas, on March 5 to conclude the regular season.